College students invariably share close quarters in dorm rooms, drink from the same cups at parties, cough and sneeze on each other while in class. Within days of the first reported fever, the football teamâ??s front line, half a sorority and an entire hallway in a freshman dorm are all sick.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison reported 198 new cases for the week ending last Saturday. More than 10 members of the universityâ??s football team have reported symptoms since Sunday.
Sarah Van Orman, executive director of health services, said the university is telling healthy students H1N1 â??is something they need to take seriously but they donâ??t need to panic about or be afraid of.â? The administration isnâ??t urging the cancellation of any events or any extra precautions beyond good hygiene and staying away from people who seem to be sick. â??We arenâ??t asking students to change what theyâ??d normally do.â?